Wood gathering apparatus



Nov. 10, 1953 J, G, SARTlN 2,658,638

WOOD GATHERING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 18, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet l Nov. l0, 1953 J. G. sARTlN 2,658,638

woon GATHERING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 18, 1949 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 JA'RVIS G. SARTIN INVENTOR.

BY CCS-M5@ @jb-Aww AGENT N0 10, 1953 J. G. sARTlN woon GATHERING APPARATUS 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 18, 1949 wm ON .vh wm Nh JARVIS G. SARTIN INVENH )Ill M g, MMM

AGENT Patented Nov. 10, 1953 2,658,635 wooo GA'rHERING APPARATUS Jarvis G. Sartin, Hattiesburg, assigner t0. Hercules Powder .Cpmpa'iiyi yifiliniri'gA j v l)el.,

a corporation of pelaware Application February 18, 19.49, Serial No. 77,131 2 Claims. (Cl. 2.147796) :This invention relates to material handling Ve.- hicles of the elevator type, and more particularly to a vehicle 4capable of .gathering Widely .distributed wood stumps and trunks lying loose .Qn the ground or only partly buried, transporting them to a depot, and discharging them.

The economical gathering of .widely scattered resinous pine wood for .extraction of rosin therefrom has always presented a problem, particularly in rough terrain. ,Gathering by hand has been limited to smaller pieces ,and vthe occasional large r.pieces have been reduced in size and then removed by hand or `Vthey have :been marked for removal 'by bulldozers. This .type Vof .gathering has necessitated .a .duplication of ,effort in locating .and gathering .wood in ithiclets, brush, and swampy land. There has .been a need in the ,art of :a more eicient .apparatus .capable of .gathering .both large and small pieces of wood in asingie tour of the ter-rain.

It is, therefore, .an object .of 4this invention .to provide .an limproved Wood-gathering `apparatus capableof `gathering Wood of Variedsizesin a singie load, transporting them to a central location, and .discharging the `load 4in a pile. l

I-It isa further object toprovide a.woodgather ing apparatus that can .be used :in roughterrain covered .with `.brush Yand thickets.

vIt .is a still vfurther object to provide a `woodgathering apparatus that .is capable of rooting out Woodcovered by loose soil.

it is .a still .ffurther object to provide a woodgathering apparatus capable .of `lifting loads which extend beyond the confines ofthe apparatus above .the .brush and .undergrowth and transporting ithe :load Afreely Vthereover` A Qther objects :will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art `from |.the following .descriptiontaken in connection ywith .the accompanying .drawings Wheln Fig. 1.1 isa side jelevation of the apparatus in loadgatheringposition.

Fig. 2 islan end elevation viewof theapparatus in load-gathering position viewed from theiront.

Eig. 3 is aside elevation of theapparatusin load-.transporting Yand in vbroken lines in fload.- releasing position.

mig. 4 is a .sectionpn the line .4-.4 of Fig. 3 Viewed-f rom the front.

Fig. 5 is .a section on .the 1line L5-.5of Fig. V3 viewed from above.

lniFig. 1 is illustrated.apowerdriven transport vehicle i0 ,having mounted thereonairamework comprising :the .rigid .supporting .members I2,4 L4, t6, and IB .to .swhichis ,rigidly attached a v pair of vertical achannel members or guide rails 2 il form.- ing the front part of said framework.` Positioned vertically in iront of guide rails 20 is a carriage 2g having brackets 2,4 carrying antifriction rolls ers 2.5 whicl'ibiare mounted between the vertical guide rails .2.6 to previ@ e mssfls wheres-'v the carriage j2,2 is l conilned Yin movement to vertical motion .along lthe .vertical guide la'ilsZ. Carriage 2 2 is normally free to invoye along 'a vertical path from lthe Iupperlmost end of the guide rails .2B which provided withv stops or limiting breasts 2.8 so the duermes? ses' sf' ihslsuids yrails 2Q Vwhich is pro.: ded I with shock absorbers or .senses s@ v.ii/.hiss '.lsrmallv @effi mostief the weight of the estrias@ 2.2'. '-.Is iles @stress '2,2' si the .lower .end thereof is pivotally attachedV the rear and ef .s fers 1.3.2 sbav-ies s ,plurality of .rines 3.4 eines tsssther :bv the sie reds l0! lhs fork normally is tres' fissi/.ine absu the pivot shaft ,3 5 .through s rttissl ,Plans frese a lsadrsuprsrtirs essaient@ .s lead-.releasing posities and the'ssmbination of the fork 32 and the carriage .22 forms silssdflittins sradls Whse Phs Qlk .311s irl-.510edseerertins, substantially vhorizontal 0r .slightly upwardly .tilted es,stier 1.with respect to the .csrriaee 22- 'plurality Qi .vertical .links .3.8 .is limes-illy .attached to ithe 4fork 32 by a'shaft :39. and .a Vpair Qf -llerizental links .43 is .hnefsdlv .attashed t0 the .Car 'ses' 2,2-

.3.8 .and 413 .are hrieedlvfsonnsstseibv ,means of a @Ommenshaft .4.l .to 'hoist yoke 42 Awhich in turn isattached to hoist hlockAA torprovideameans for .movingthe fork 2 through' the various swinging .positions abQut .pivet shaft V35. Each horizontal link 4.0 is hinesdly attached to carriage 22 and lis provided with Ma catch pin 45, andthe carriage22 is provided .with a fhingedIy attached hooklike detent Asopositonedthat dete'nt .58 is capable'of holding v.catch .pin A6 .and thereby locking fork. 32 inloadesupporting position so as to form a cradle witharriagel Detenwl :is provided with a ASpringl ,normally urging the .detent 48 out of catch-.engaging .position anda cable-52 leading throuehspoolpiece 5.3 tolever tvisiprovided for hand .operation for 4urging ...the detent '.48 .into catehfengaging-position.

Anetentin theform of a heavybaris pivotally attachedto guide railsZD so as tobe'free to .swing when rgedandto normally hang v'rticallyandis atta'ch'edat one endtoa vrigid shaft 58 which leads toa hand-'operated' lever'il whereby the detent 5 6 may'be'piyted'into l`a position to engage `a slotted platellinte'gralwith the .carriagel -to' prevent 'upward movement'of carriageiZZ.

Lifting action is applied to the fork 32 by power applied to cable 64 attached to hoist block 44, said power being derived from a power take off unit 66 of the power driven vehicle I6 which has the usual control devices including a lock and a clutch, the clutch manipulating handle 68 being accessible to the vehicle operator.

Fig. 2 shows a front view of the apparatus with the fork in lowered position as in Fig. 1. This figure is intended to give added detail of the front end of the apparatus. It shows the plurality of tines 34 joined together by horizontal tie rods 'I6 and short tines 34a ending at the foremost tie rod 16 to form a fork 32. The tines 34 are pivotally attached to carriage 22 by means of pivot shaft 36. The combination of the long tines 34 and the short tines 34a joined rigidly by tie rods 16 forms a fork 32 which pivots about shaft 36 as a unit. The combination of the plurality of vertical links 38 and the yoke 42 forms a protective framework for carriage 22 and in combination with the fork 32 forms a cradle.

The cutaway section of Fig. 2 shows the detail of a portion of the elevator and cradle-locking mechanism. In this section part of yoke 42, vertical links 38, shafts 39 and 4|, to which links 38 are connected, and part of the tines 34 and 34a are removed. In this manner, pivot shaft 36, about which the fork 32 pivots, is made visible. The arrangement of the carriage rollers 26 and their relationship to the carriage 22 and the guide rails 26 is also brought out more clearly. The slotted plate 45 is integrally attached to the carriage 22 in such a position that locking bar 56 can catch in the slot when the carriage 22 is in lowered position. A locking bar 56 and a slotted plate 45 are provided on each side of carriage 22 and both bars 56 are integrally connected to a common rod 'I2 pivotally supported in recesses 14 in the framework of guide rails 26. An extension of one locking bar 56 is connected to actuating shaft 58.

Fig. 3 shows the relationship between the fork and carriage in load-holding and load-releasing position. In this view the carriage 22 is shown at the uppermost position in the guide rails 26 abutting the limiting bracket 28. The solid lines show the detent 48 in the position engaging catch pin 46 of horizontal link 46 and thereby holding the fork 32 in cradle-forming position. The broken lines show the fork 32 in load-releasing position. The locking bar 56 is shown hanging vertically in a position which allows the carriage to rise from lowered to elevated position when urged by hoist block 44. This View also shows the carriage 22 in close proximity to the guide rails 20. Sliding Contact is eliminated by the rollers 26 contacting the walls of guide rails 26.

Further detail of the relationship of the rollers 26 of carriage 22 and the guide rails 26 in which they travel is presented in Fig. 4 which is a section 4 4 taken from Fig. 3. Only one guide rail and one set of rollers are shown. The other is of substantially the same construction. The rollers 26 are fastened by bolt 16 and nut 'I8 to the carriage brackets 24. The rollers are preferably of the ball-bearing type and are of such a size as to contact only one wall of the guide rail at a time. The locking bar 56 and the pivot bar 'l2 to which it is rigidly xed are also shown. The end of the pivot bar 12 is pivoted in recess 'i4 so as to swing freely.

Fig. gives more detail of section 5-5 taken from Fig. 3 to show the relationship between carriage 22, the rollers 26 attached thereto by means of brackets 24, and the guide rails 26l This figure also shows the carriage locking bar 56 and the pivot shaft 12 and the recess 14 in which the shaft pivots. It also shows the detent 48 for engaging catch 46 of the horizontal link 46 to hold the fork in raised position and the detent spring 56 and the construction of the bracket by which it is pivotally attached to the carriage 22.

The apparatus is shown in Fig. 1 in normal wood-gathering position with the carriage 22 in lowered position and the tines 34 pointed downwardly at or below ground level. The tractor is driven toward a stump or log and the tines 34 are forced underneath so that the stump or log slides up on the fork at least part way toward carriage 22. The carriage 22 is locked in down position by operation of lever 66 to urge detent -56 into a position engaging slotted plate 45 of carriage 22 to prevent upward movement of the carriage 22. With a stump on the tip of the fork, power is applied to hoist block 4f; by operation of clutch handle 68 so as to give a quick motion thereto. This motion is transmitted to the fork 32 through the hoist yoke 42 and coupling link 33 so that the tines 34 rise quickly in such a manner that the stump is iiipped or slides back against the hoist yoke 42. The carriage 22 is prevented by detent 56 from rising during this operation and the spring 36 absorb the shock of the flipping action. With the fork 32 in the raised position resulting from the upward urging of the hoist, the detent 48 may be urged into catch-engaging position with respect to catch pin 46 to lock the fork in this position thereby forming a cradle. Normally the lock is not engaged until a full load is obtained, and the fork, with a partial load positioned on the back part of fork 32 near the yoke 42, is again lowered. By repeating the gathering action described above, more wood may be iiipped back into the cradle formed by the fork 32 and carriage 22. When a full load is obtained, the fork 32 is locked by detent 48 and catch pin 46 in cradle-forming position, detent 56 is released by operation of lever 54 and is swung into its normal vertical position, leaving carriage 22 free to rise when urged. Power applied to hoist block 44 then urges the fork and carriage upwardly as a unit and the load may then be lifted well above the terrain and brush and small trees thereon so that the vehicle may carry the load over obstructions to a depot where the load may be discharged.

In Fig. 3 is shown the apparatus in elevated load-carrying position just described. In this position the cradle may be held in raised position by a locking mechanism in the power take olf unit 66 to prevent upward or downward motion of the hoist. Similarly a locking device may be applied to the carriage to hold it in elevated position but such an auxiliary locking ldevice has not been found necessary and is not shown in the drawings.

In releasing the load at the depot, the cradle is urged upward so that detent 48 may be allowed to release itself .by the urging of spring 56. The upward urging of hoist 44 by the power take olf is then diminished and the hoist block 44 is lowered slightly so that the weight of the load on the tines of fork 32 causes the tines to tilt downwardly independently of the carriage 22. The relationship of the carriage 22 and fork 32 in the load-releasing position is shown in broken lines of Fig. 2. After the load has slid 01T the fork 32, the fork may again be drawn into cradle forming position and the cradle may then be lowered by gradual release of power applied to hoist dd until the cradle drops to a position in which it rests on supporting springs 39. While traveling in search of wood, the cradle may be either in the raised position of Fig. 2 or in the lowered position of Fig. 1. A suitable traveling position is that in which the carriage is in lowered position of Fig. 1 but with the tines locked in cradle-forming position by detent 48.

It is particularly pointed out here that the success in the operation of this particular apparatus lies in its ability to nip wood, loosely held by the fork, farther back on the fork so that an accumulated load can be gathered. To one skilled in the art, many modications in con struction will suggest themselves without departing from the spirit and scope of the claims of this invention.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an elevator-type material handling vehicle, the combination of an elevator carriage having a fork pivotally attached thereto and vertically swingable with respect thereto between load-supporting and load-releasing positions and forming, when in load-supporting position, a lifting cradle capable oi vertical motion as a unit, manually releasable detent means for locking said carriage in lowered position, means for actuating said detent means, lifting means acting on said fork for urging said carriage upwardly and for imparting upwardly swinging motion to said fork to form a cradle while said carriage is locked in lowered position, a releasable catch for loci;- ing said fork in cradle-forming position with respect to said carriage and means for actuating said catch.

2. A material handling machine comprising a vehicle, a supporting framework having a pair of vertically disposed guide rails, a carriage mounted for vertical movement along said guide rails, a lifting fork pivotally mounted on said carriage for vertically swinging motion between load-supporting and load-releasing positions, manually releasable detent means for locking said carriage in lowered position, means for actuu ating' said detent means, lifting means acting directly on said fork and indirectly on said carriage for urging said carriage upwardly and for imparting upwardly swinging motion to said fork to form a cradle while said carriage is locked in lowered position, control means for maintaining said fork in material-supporting position and means for actuating said last-mentioned means.

JARVIS G. SARTEN.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,449,733 Clausen Mar. 27, 1923 2,055,291 Henry Sept. 22, 1936 2,099,604 Gunning Nov. 16, 1937 2,220,267 Nelson Nov. 5, 1940 2,244,857 Sletten June 10, 1941 2,276,483 Hahn Mar. 17, 1942 2,352,466 Arps June 27, 1944 2,397,045 Richey Mar. 19, 1946 2,413,097 Barker Dec. 24, 1946 2,418,251 Drott Apr. 1, 1947 2,428,694 Beyer Oct. 7, 1947 2,437,007 Thorns Mar. 2, 1948 2,471,364 Weber May 24, 1949 2,479,841 Jordan Aug. 23, 1949 

